Spectacle frame made of tubular metallic stock



NOV. 27, 1951 300K 2,576,778

SPECTACLE FRAME MADE OF TUBULAR METALLIC STOCK Filed Aug. 18, 1948 Patented Nov. 27, 1951 SPECTACLE FRAME MADE OF TUBULAR METALLIC STOCK Roland T. Cook, Irvington, N. J., assignor to New Jersey Optical Company, Irvington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application August 18, 1948, Serial No. 44,915

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ophthalmic mountings, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to an improved metallic ophthalmic mounting of the spectacle frame type.

There is demand for spectacle frames of massive appearance, which demand, in the past, has been largely met by spectacle frames made of non-metallic materials, such, e. g., as those made of plastic material. Heretofore there does not appear to have been available an all metal spectacle frame which provides that massive appearance which is in vogue, probably for the reason that the Weight of an all metal frame, calculated to provide the desired massive appearance, would render such frame impractical.

Having the above in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel construction of metallic spectacle frame which is calculated to possess a desired massive appearance and yet to be of light weight; and, to this end, to provide lens rim and temp1e portions of the frame which are produced from tubular metallic stock.

The invention has for another object to provide a spectacle frame structure having lens rim and temple portions made of tubular metallic stock, including novel structural formations thereof, and novel means for hingedly joining the temple portions to the lens portions.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front face view of a spectacle frame made according to this invention; and Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view through a lens rim portion of the frame, taken on line 33 in Fig. l, but drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a hinge Joint structure by which a temple portion of the frame is connected with a lens rim portion thereof, this view being drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through said hinge joint structure with parts shown in elevation; Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 66 in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cover plate and stop element of a hinge structure.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the inner end part of a temple member and hinge ear element in disassembled relation; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 9-9 in Fig. 8, the hinge ear element being shown in elevation;

and Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the inner part of a temple member having its hinge ear element and a stop element mounted in operative assembled relation thereto.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal longitudinal sectional view of the outer part of a temple member; Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on line |2l2 in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line l3--l3 in Fig. 11; and Fig. 14 is a view similar to that of Fig. 11, but showing a modified construction.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of a spectacle frame according to this invention as shown comprises a front having temples hingedly connected with the outer sides of its lens rim members. Said front comprises a pair of lens rim members I5 which are joined by an intermediate nose bridge member [6, which is secured thereto, as by soldering, to extend between the opposed. inner sides thereof. Also mounted on the inner side of each lens rim member l5, and suitably secured thereto, as by solder, are nose-padsupporting arms I! to which nosepads I B are suitably connected.

Each lens rim member I5 is produced from thin walled tubular metallic stock of comparatively large cross-sectional area, preferably having an external diameter of from to inch approximately. The rim members as thus characterized are calculated to possess a massive appearance and yet to be of very light weight. The wall of said tubular metallic stock is indented along the longitudinal inner side extent of the rim member to form, at such location, an inverted V-shaped lens edge receiving and seating channel l9 (see Fig. 3). Each lens rim member is discontinuous, whereby to provide opposed terminal ends 20 at the outer sides thereof. Afiixed to the respective terminal ends 20 of each rim member are the respective end pieces 2! which terminate in angularly and rearwardly offset perforate hinge knuckles 22, these elements forming parts of the temple hinging connections of the spectacle frame.

Adapted to be assembled with the end pieces 2| of each rim member I5 is a combined cover plate and stop element, the same comprising a face plate 23 which is adapted to be superposed upon and so as to lap the front sides of the adjacent terminal end portions 20 of the rim member and over the front edges of the end pieces 2| which extend from the latter. The outer end of the face 3 plate 23 is curved, as at 24, to conform to the external contours of said end pieces, and the free end of said curved portion 24 provides a stop shoulder 25 which is aligned with the axis of the perforate hinge knuckles 22. Said face plate is provided, in extension from its inside, with a perforate anchor lug 26-which is adapted to'be ins serted between the endpieces 2| intermediate the rim member ends 20 and the hinge knuckles 22,

so that the perforation of said anchor lug 26 is" aligned with and between perforationswith which the bodies of the end pieces 2| 'areprovided. At

least the lower of the perforations of said end piece bodies is internally screw-threaddfor. en-

gagement by a fastening screw21 which ispassed,-

through the thus assembled end pieces and anchor lug (see Fig. 6), whereby the endgpieceseand:

combined cover plate and stop element are secured together in operative assembled relation;-

Each temple member is also produced from thin-: walled tubularmetallic stock,- and I come,

prises. a main tubular body portion 28 ofz-somewhatzflattened form; with the long axisof its cross-section perpendicular, so as to provide outerrandlinnerfacewalls 29 and-'35. The

innen-extremity 3! of the temple body portion 28' is;shaped toconformthe-same to the circumferential contour of hinge knuckles 22 which are to, be abutted ithereby. Indentingthe -outer face walli29- attheinner end part of the temple body portion-28isa central longitudinal slot or notch 32.; Adapted-tobeaffixed to the inner-end part of rtheytemple body portion 28; in axiallyalignedi relation to the latter, is a perforate hinge car 33,: which'is provided with a tangential shoulder or-key portion 3 adapted to be entered in said slotor-notch 32; and with an-axially project-- ingvshank :35 projecting beyond said shoulder or key-portion 34; Said shank 35isadapted to fit into theopenainner end of the temple body portion;28, and to be suitably secured thereto, as by soldering the same to the latter. When the hinge ear33is thus assembled in attached relation ;to;: the temple body" portion, the engagemerit of-;the shoulder or-keyportion 34' inthe slot-orinotch 32 keys the-hingeear-to the temple body portion against rotative displacement from an operative horizontally disposed relation: to

the-latter.- To'hingedlyconnect a-temple body portion with arinrmember l of the spectacle frame front; the hinge ear 33 is inserted between thehinge. knuckles 22-of said rim-member; and-is then-pivotally-joined therewith by a: pivoting: screw 36 adapted to be engaged through the thusassembledhinge knuckles and hinge; ear: Afiixed :to the :outer face wall 29 0f the; temple; body; portion, as by soldering the same thereto,-at the'inner end of the latter, is atstopelement Sl'of suitable peripheralshape, but'providedwith astop shoulder 38 at its outer end which'is aligned with theaxisof the above described hinge connection between a rim meme suitably shaped ear hook member. Said ear hook member, in one form thereof, is made of hollow metallic wire which is preferably of semi-circular cross-sectional shape, having an outer curvature of a radius corresponding to the radii of the curved top and bottom edges of the-temple body portion 28; The-year hook member is" formed by doubling the hollow wire upon itself into an end loop formation 39 of selected shape and extent, said end loop formation .terminatingin parallel upper and lower inwardly" extending arms 40 and 4|. Novel means is provided for attaching the ear hook member to :the outer end of a temple body portionlB; wherebyrto complete the temple memher. For this r purpose there is aflixed to the outeroendportionnof the temple body portion 28 within its upper edge portion an upper dowel or coupling pin 42 and within its lower edge portion a like lower dowel or coupling pin 43. Saiddowelscorcoupling pins and Gsmay be anchored into the temple body; portion 281m; any, suitable manner, but preferably-by solder, ing the same to the latter. Said dowels or coupling pins #2 and 43 project freely-outwarda substantial distance beyond the extremity of the. temple; body portion, 28. The outer and inner;

face walls-29 and 30 vof the temple body portion 28 are-respectively provided with closure lugs Mend 45 which are-adapted to be iii-turned to opposed abutting relation between said: dowels or coupling pins 42 and 43 and across the open end of said templebodyportion in closing relation-thereto (see Figs. 12 and 13);

Said dowels or couplingpins are of crosseseccoupling pinsbeing thereupon securely'united in any suitable manner, but preferablybysohdering' thesame one to the" other; ear hook member'is thus attached in aflixed 1'6:- lation to a temple bodyportion, the endsof" the arms-40 and M will abut the end of the-temple body portion, so that external surfaces of the former will lie flush to the rounded edge sur-' facesofthe latter, thusproviding a smooth and sightly joiningbf these parts, andonefree from projections or other roughness which might be irritating to the wearer of the spectacle frame; It will be obvious that'since the temple body portionand attached ear hook member are made of hollow or tubular metalliostock, not'only will they contribute to' the desired-massive appearance-pf the frame as a whole, but will add but littleweightthereto'. As shown in' F'ig'.- 14, it will -be;-seen-;that.1theear hook members; 39 andv their .arms:40+4i may be made of solid wireif desired; the-latter terminating in reduced dowel portions42f-43fior connection with the temple body portion :28; in manner substantially similar to;th'at already above. described.

From'the above descriptionand an inspection of the accompanying drawings, it'will be apparent-thatthe novel, spectacle frame of this invention iswell'adapted to provide an allmetal frame having, a desired massive: appearance; while nevertheless? one which, notwithstanding itszbulk: is, ,in reality, ofwvery light weight, 1 com- When an paring favorably with the weight of an ordinary solid metal frame as heretofore known and used.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

A hinge structure to connect a tubular temple to a discontinuous lens rim having end pieces terminating in perforate hinge knuckles projecting from its ends, a cover plate disposed over the front edges of the rim end pieces and adjacent portions of the lens rim, said cover plate having a rearwardly projecting anchoring lug interposed between said rim end pieces and secured in assembled relation thereto by a fastening screw, said anchoring lug functioning to space apart the hinge knuckles, the outer end of said cover plate providing a stop shoulder disposed across the hinge knuckles, a hinge ear having a rearwardly extending shank entered and fixed in the interior of the tubular temple, the outer wall of said temple having an indenting slot and said hinge ear having key portion outwardly ofiset relative to said shank and engaged in said slot, said hinge car being entered between the rim hinge knuckles and coupled thereto by a pivoting screw, and an external face plate afiixed to the temple, the outer end of said face plate providing a stop shoulder disposed across the hinge ear and adapted to abut the stop shoulder of the rim cover plate to determine the outswung open position of the temple relative to the rim.

ROLAND T. COOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,306,773 Poeton June 17, 1919 1,557,120 Tully Oct. 13, 1925 1,635,881 Baker July 12, 192-? 1,906,330 Nelson May 2, 1933 1,941,575 Page Jan. 2, 1934 1,988,423 Rohrback Jan. 15, 1935 2,104,503 Baker Jan. 4, 1938 2,143,633 Pearlstein Jan. 10, 1939 2,229,568 Hodgkins Jan. 21, 1941 2,300,834 Spooner Nov. 3, 1942 2,376,4 8 Wiseman May 22, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 407,256 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1934 

